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      Arsenal blow as Peterborough chief casts doubt over Ivan Toney transfer with League One side set for huge windfall

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      IVAN TONEY will NOT leave Brentford this month, according to Peterborough chief Barry Fry.Toney, 27, has been heavily linked with a move away from the Gtech Community Stadium in recent weeks.
      Ivan Toney is set to stay at BrentfordCredit: PA
      Arsenal and Chelsea have expressed an interest in signing him, with both clubs in desperate need of a new striker.
      However, Fry – who played an integral role in recruiting Toney for Peterborough back in 2018 – is not convinced that he will move on from Brentford just yet.
      Speaking on talkSPORT, Posh’s director of football said: “He certainly won’t be going in January if you look at where Brentford are in the league and the players they’ve got out injury-wise.
      “They need Ivan to keep them in the league. Also, the clubs who are interested, who are four of the main clubs in the country, with Financial Fair Play they don’t have the money at the moment.”
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      Brentford are expected to demand £80million to £100m for Toney.
      And due to a sell-on clause in his contract, Peterborough will receive a chunk of the transfer fee.
      When asked how much the League One side could receive if Toney sold for £100m, Fry responded: “That would be a lot of money. We would definitely get over £10m.”
      The Peterborough chief also joked that Brentford have grown “fed up” of him because he keeps asking for updates on the striker’s transfer situation.
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      Toney spent two years with Peterborough and made 94 appearancesCredit: Getty
      Toney scored a hat-trick for Brentford B against Southampton on Saturday
      He said: “I phone Brentford every day of the week. They’re fed up of me ringing them.
      “It will be like winning the lottery if they sell Ivan.
      “I saw Ivan play for Northampton as a 17-year-old against our under-18s, and he got in the team very early.
      “We tried to buy him when he went to Newcastle, but there was no way he was going to Peterborough over Newcastle.
      “We watched his progress and he got loaned out to about eight different clubs and we eventually enticed him to the club.”
      Toney is set to return from his eight-month betting ban on January 17.
      That means he will be allowed to play for Brentford against Nottingham Forest three days later.
      Tony showed he was on the comeback train when he bagged a hat-trick for Brentford B as they ran out 5-1 winners in a training ground friendly over Southampton Under-23s on Saturday. More

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      Shock Newcastle transfer exit on the cards for homegrown star as club strive to work within FFP guidelines

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      NEWCASTLE could move out Sean Longstaff if the right offer comes in.The Toon are looking to freshen up their squad while they work within Financial Fair Play guidelines and that may mean home-grown midfielder Longstaff goes.
      Sean Longstaff could be let go to raise fundsCredit: Alamy
      Under FFP, clubs are essentially incentivised to sell academy products as the sale can be listed as pure profit on the club’s books.
      Several Prem clubs are on red alert and a loan-to-buy arrangement for the 26-year-old may even work for the Geordies.
      Longstaff has been a key part of Eddie Howe’s midfield this season, playing 17 times in the Premier League this year.
      He also appeared in five of Newcastle’s Champions League fixtures.
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      But selling Longstaff may be a good way for Howe to refresh his squad and bring in another midfielder – particularly with Sandro Tonali’s betting ban in mind.
      Magpies midfielder Joe White may be joining Stockport on loan.
      The 21-year-old stood out at Crewe in the first half of the season and could now move to Dave Challinor’s ambitious League Two rivals.
      Newcastle won their first Tyne-Wear derby in eight years yesterday at the Stadium of Light.
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      An own goal from Daniel Ballard kicked things off for the Geordies before Alexander Isak added two.
      It was a nightmare day for Ballard, who also gave away the penalty for Isak’s second.
      The Magpies rubbed salt in the wounds of Sunderland fans when the team posed for a group photo in front of their travelling fans. More

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      Man Utd ‘ready to launch stunning cash-plus-player bid to snare Crystal Palace wonderkid Michael Olise’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly willing to include Aaron Wan-Bissaka as part of a bid to sign Crystal Palace midfielder Michael Olise.The Red Devils are expected to be active in the transfer market this month and in the summer following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion takeover of football operations.
      Man Utd want to sign Michael Olise from Crystal PalaceCredit: Getty
      The Red Devils want to include Aaron Wan-Bissaka as part of a dealCredit: Alamy
      And according to the Daily Star, Olise has been earmarked as a top target.
      The 22-year-old has a buy-out clause in his current contract which will become active in July.
      United allegedly want to trigger the clause, but they will have to offer a significant fee.
      While an exact figure is yet to be revealed, it is expected to be almost double the £35million buy-out fee that was in Olise’s previous Palace deal.
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      In order to boost their chances of reaching an agreement with Crystal Palace, United officials are willing to include Wan-Bissaka as part of a bid.
      The full-back joined Man Utd from Palace in a £50m transfer in 2019 and has since made 175 first team appearances.
      Crystal Palace chiefs have been eager to re-sign him, so a player-plus-cash deal could please both parties.
      Wan-Bissaka’s contract was set to expire this summer, but United triggered a one-year extension this week which will keep him at Old Trafford until June 2025.
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      Olise has been limited to nine games this season due to injury, but he has scored five goals
      One potential concern that the Red Devils could face in their pursuit of Olise is his recurring injury issues.
      Olise suffered another hamstring injury against Brentford last week which is set to keep him sidelined for at least a month.
      The midfielder had just returned to action from a six-month lay-off after recovering from a grade three hamstring tear.
      Man Utd have also been linked with a move for Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy, who has scored 19 goals in 16 games for the German side so far this season. More

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      Huge Arsenal injury blow ahead of Liverpool FA Cup clash as star struck down with old issue and big doubt for game

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      GABRIEL JESUS is a major doubt for Arsenal’s FA Cup clash with Liverpool this afternoon due to a knee injury.According to the Daily Mail, the severity of the issue is unclear but there is hope that it will not be a long-term problem.
      Gabriel Jesus is a doubt for Arsenal’s match against LiverpoolCredit: Getty
      Mikel Arteta’s side face Liverpool in the FA Cup third round today.
      The Gunners approach the match following successive defeats to West Ham and Fulham respectively.
      Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber and Fabio Vieira all remain absent due to injury, while Mohamed Elneny and Takehiro Tomiyasu have been selected for international duty.
      Oleksandr Zinchenko is also a doubt due to a calf problem.
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      Arteta did not mention Jesus’ injury during his pre-match press conference on Friday, meaning the issue could have come to light during Saturday’s training session.
      The striker has a history of knee concerns, with some proving to be long-term problems.
      He was sidelined for three months last season after suffering a knee injury during the World Cup.
      Jesus also missed the start of this season due to a similar issue.
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      Should the Brazilian miss today’s game, Eddie Nketiah will likely start as Arsenal’s No9.
      Arteta admitted on Friday that he is hoping for another special FA Cup run.
      He said: “It’s a great competition, as I said before, especially for the club. We have won it more times than anyone so we expect a great game and a good run.” More

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      I’m a former West Ham coach who helped discover Declan Rice.. it was obvious he was destined for big things

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      WEST HAM will always be heavily indebted to Liam Manning because of his leading role in Declan Rice’s development.As Hammers’ Under-23 head coach, Manning helped to keep a teenage Rice on track when he struggled to make the grade after leaving school.
      Declan Rice showed promise as a youngster at West HamCredit: Rex
      Liam Manning will bring his Bristol City team to East LondonCredit: Getty
      He also rallied the future England star when Manuel Pellegrini suddenly axed Rice from West Ham’s first team.
      Bristol City boss Manning takes the Championship side to West Ham today, relieved Rice is longer pulling the midfield strings after his British record £105million summer move to Arsenal.
      But the 38-year-old is fully aware of the legacy Rice left at their former club.
      He said: “Dec was an Under-17 when I joined in 2015, going from schoolboy to a scholar.
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      “He was the only one in his group that hadn’t been given a pro contract.
      “His reaction summed him up — he kept his head down and grafted harder than ever. He was captain of the youth team and the best player every week.”
      Manning saw Rice flourish as a centre-back and central midfielder who forced his way into the first team.
      He made his Premier League debut at Burnley in May 2017, a few days after leading West Ham’s youngsters to victory over Newcastle in a Premier League 2 promotion play-off final at St James’ Park.
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      But he came crashing down to earth following a 4-0 defeat at Liverpool on opening day of the 2018-19 season.
      Pellegrini subbed him at half-time, axed him from the first-team squad and told him to train with Manning.
      That is when Manning knew Rice was destined for great things.
      He recalled: “Dec was the first one out, brought the balls out and was the best player in training. He collected the equipment at the end and went to do a player appearance when he could have been annoyed at not being selected.
      “It summed up how much he loves football and was developing into a top professional.
      “What struck me was his reading of the game and how cleanly he did the simple things.
      “It wasn’t always about ‘Wow!’ moments but constantly making the right decisions and executing them to the highest level.”
      Even without Rice, Manning is aware of the threat City face at the London Stadium.
      Manning added: “The fact they will be formidable opponents is largely down to David Moyes, who I briefly crossed paths with in my days at West Ham.
      “You have to admire and respect what he’s achieved and the longevity of his career.”
      While Rice’s attention will be focused on Arsenal’s tie with Liverpool today, Manning insists he still epitomises everything that is good about West Ham’s ‘academy of football’.
      He added: “Dec is a player West Ham should be really proud of.
      “There was a very strong relationship between him and the fans, which is why Dec possibly stayed longer than other players might have.
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      “I don’t like talking too often about people I’ve worked with. Players make players and I think us coaches support, facilitate and nudge them.
      “Ultimately, the person that deserves all the credit for Dec’s career is him — not any coach he has worked with.” 
      Rice, 24, could be in action for Arsenal against Liverpool todayCredit: Getty More

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      Chelsea handed huge injury blow as Pochettino confirms Nkunku has ‘problem in his hip’ after missing Preston FA Cup win

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      CHELSEA have been dealt another injury blow with Christopher Nkunku struggling with a hip problem.The French forward, 26, sat out of the 4-0 FA Cup win over Preston at Stamford Bridge.
      Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Christopher Nkunku has a hip injuryCredit: Reuters

      Armando Broja, Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling and Enzo Fernandez all struck in the second half to see off the Championship opponents.
      Chelsea booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round for the 25th time in 26 seasons as they eye a ninth crown this season.
      But when manager Mauricio Pochettino was asked about Nkunku’s surprise absence, he confirmed that Nkunku is struggling with another knock.
      Poch said: “He wasn’t involved because he suffered after training a problem in his hip.
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      “We need to see if he can be ready for the next few games.”
      Chelsea face Middlesbrough in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday before a West London derby with Fulham next Saturday.
      They then face Boro at home on January 23, will play their FA Cup fourth-round tie the following weekend and then travel to take on Liverpool on January 31.
      And now the manager will be sweating to have the attacker back available.
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      Pochettino is also without a further 11 first-team stars at the moment including long-term absentees Wesley Fofana and Reece James – plus striker Nicolas Jackson who is at Afcon.
      Nkunku has endured a hugely frustrating debut season at Chelsea.
      Having joined from RB Leipzig for £52million in the summer, he suffered an agonising knee injury in pre-season that required surgery and sidelined him until December.
      That postponed his debut until the Carabao Cup victory against Newcastle, where he came off the bench for the final 21 minutes.
      He then appeared in three Premier League games over the festive period, scoring on his first outing in the 2-1 defeat at Wolves on Christmas Eve.
      But now he is back on the treatment table in another bitter setback to his Blues career.
      Nkunku was brought in to add extra firepower to Chelsea’s attack and a reliable goal threat, having smashed in 58 goals in his last two campaigns at Leipzig.
      The ten-cap France international, though, was a big miss in the first half of the season with Jackson and Cole Palmer the top scorers on eight goals each.
      The forward has only just recovered from a knee injuryCredit: Getty
      He scored on his Premier League debut against WolvesCredit: Reuters More

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      Roberto Firmino’s dream return to Premier League hits buffers due to monstrous wages ex-Liverpool striker expects

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      ROBERTO FIRMINO’S personal terms are making it hard for him to come back to the Prem.The ex-Liverpool forward, 32, could cut short his stay at Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli but his camp are after a stunning package.
      Roberto Firmino’s wage demands are preventing him from returning to the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
      Former Brazil ace Firmino has had interest although no English clubs are willing to pay the £300,000-a-week it would take to get him.
      He signed a three-year deal with Al-Ahli in the summer but could now quit just six months into his contract.
      Firmino has managed just three goals and three assists in 19 appearances so far this season.
      The forward has also not started a league match since October, coinciding with his side’s eight-match unbeaten run.
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      His spell out of the starting line-up has seen Firmino lose the captain’s armband, having started the campaign as skipper.
      A number of Premier League clubs have since been linked with a move for the former Red.
      Fulham were reportedly “offered the chance” to sign Firmino this week to bolster their attacking options.
      Meanwhile, Sheffield United were interested before sacking Paul Heckingbottom in December.
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      It is unknown if new boss Chris Wilder remains keen to bring the ex-Brazil international in following his return to Bramall Lane.
      Firmino scored 111 goals and provided 79 assists in 362 appearances across his eight-year spell at Anfield.
      Of those goals, 82 came in the Premier League, making him the highest scoring Brazilian in the league’s history.
      Firmino’s 82 Premier League goals for Liverpool are more than any other BrazilianCredit: AFP More

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      Leicester outcast Danny Ward thrown Premier League transfer lifeline in boost to Wales goalkeeper’s Euro 2024 chances

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      SHEFFIELD UNITED want to throw keeper Danny Ward a Premier League lifeline — and boost his Euro 2024 chances.The Blades have asked Leicester about their out-of-favour Wales No 1 and boss Chris Wilder is keen on a loan for the rest of the season — with a possible buy in summer.
      Ward is keen on the move to boost his chances of winning Wales’ no1 shirtCredit: Alamy
      Ward, 30, would leap at the chance to get back into the top flight and also get him ready for the Euro finals if the Welsh make it through the play-offs in March.
      The former Liverpool keeper cost £12.5million in 2018 yet is only third choice and Foxes would sell him, ideally.
      But a loan may suit them and pledging a full-time transfer would get the deal done.
      Ward joining on a temporary deal would also mean one of the Blades’ domestic loan players must go.
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      Prem clubs can only have two domestic loan players at any one time and they currently have Leicester left-back Luke Thomas and attacker James McAtee from Manchester City.
      Thomas is the most likely to be let go.
      Blades also looked at experienced Kasper Schmeichel, who is now with Anderlecht in Belgium, but the 37-year-old Dane may be too dear.
      If United cannot do a deal for Ward, Cardiff would step in with a rival loan offer.
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      Elsewhere, Derby  are watching Blades midfielder Ollie Arblaster, 19, who is back from a loan at Port Vale.
      Arblaster may be out for a month with a gashed knee suffered in the Carabao Cup against Middlesbrough last month.
      So the Rams will have to leave it late to check on his recovery. More